Sure, I've shot a couple granny's playing around with my buddies, but I often shot better with my normal stance.

I mean, if a Granny shot really was as effective and reliable as you make it seem, wouldn't more than 1 player in the history of the NBA have picked it up...? I doubt players who really need help with their FT's wouldn't start shooting like that because "it wasn't cool"... it's just a matter of how you shoot. The granny forces you to shoot a higher shot... and the higher the ball goes, the more open the hoop is. If you're like Shaq, flinging the ball at the rim in an almost horizontal fashion, you'll never see results. However, if you're like Derek Fisher and you loft the ball high, it has a higher chance of dropping in the hole because the goal gets bigger. It's simple physics.

The granny helps force people to shoot the ball higher, but it's not really necessary to shoot well from the line. The main idea is practice. I was an 80% free throw shooter in high school (playing PF) because I made a point of shooting 200 free throws every practice (mostly before or after we started, and during breaks). It takes no energy to stand there and shoot. Practice and a little bit of form is all that free throws are about.

Rick Barry certainly claims he shoots better free throws underhand, and he's SECOND ALL TIME in the history of the NBA.

I've had a few people try it, for a little while, and do well.I've had people UNDERSTAND the physics of the shot.

George Johnson, formerly of the Golden State Warriors went from46% to 88% over the course of a couple of years ...

BUT ....

I've had a habit of saying over and over ... I don't really care about the WHY NOT .. what I care about is the clear whys? including the chance for A LARGE NUMBER OF PEOPLE to shoot a SIGNIFICANTLY better percentage by shooting UNDERHAND.

I doubt players who really need help with their FT's wouldn't start shooting like that because "it wasn't cool"...

then why not? because the people have LEARNED a correct way to shoot it and tried it sufficiently long to KNOW they can shoot better THE OTHER WAY. I don't think so.

it's just a matter of how you shoot. The granny forces you to shoot a higher shot... and the higher the ball goes, the more open the hoop is. If you're like Shaq, flinging the ball at the rim in an almost horizontal fashion, you'll never see results. However, if you're like Derek Fisher and you loft the ball high, it has a higher chance of dropping in the hole because the goal gets bigger. It's simple physics.

The granny helps force people to shoot the ball higher, but it's not really necessary to shoot well from the line.

Definitely not "necessary."Another question is .. why not "perfect" both shots?Wouldn't you be able to make a better choice, a clear comparision of the best YOU shooting free throws over hand AND underhand?Could you benefit as a basketball player from the skill?

the granny shot forces the player to shoot the ball higher

Rick Barry would probably point out ...

Better Arc, perhaps, "automatically.," but not higher. The whole concept of the shot is the soft touch you get. You try to get the ball to just die over the front of the rim.

The shot done the way he does it is not "higher" ... It certainly has a better "arc" ... if close comes to a "softer" landing, AND it certainly is more accurate.

SHOOT THE SHOT

The main idea is practice. I was an 80% free throw shooter in high school (playing PF) because I made a point of shooting 200 free throws every practice (mostly before or after we started, and during breaks). It takes no energy to stand there and shoot. Practice and a little bit of form is all that free throws are about.

Definitely !!!
First step. Develop a routine that works!
Practice it over and over and over until it becomes a positive habit.
YOU CAN DO THIS IN YOUR SLEEP!

P.S. Again ... Rick Barry "was" a 70 to 80 percent free throw shooter before his Dad convinced him ... cajoled him ... into "trying" to shoot his free throws underhand. His percentage went up above eighty and then ... with one small improvement on what his dad taught him ... went up to 94 PLUS percent .... 94 PLUS percent .... 94 PLUS percent. IN THE NBA!

So what's happening for basketball players today?
They don't have a routine? They don't practice? When they do practice they don't make the shot?

I'm certainly not saying that SOME people, given an EQUAL amount of KNOWLEDGE and PRACTICE wouldn't shoot BETTER ... overhand ... certainly they'll get more PRACTICE ... BUT .. I AM SAYING .. given my understanding of the physics of the shot ... my understanding of the mechanics of the BODY ... it is far easier to develop the skill of lifting
your arms to make an EASIER shot than what happens with the lopsided lifting of the overhand shot.

Interestingly enough ... I KNOW OF ONLY ONE WAY TO FIND OUT

That's my real CRUSADE!
To get enough people to THINK ABOUT IT;
To get enough people to acquire THE KNOWLEDGE;
To get enough people to PRACTICE the shot ENOUGH to develop the HABIT of MAKING THE SHOT.

CERTAINLY SOME FOLKS would get better results from the underhand shot.

Wouldn't they??? Or are RICK and I the ONLY ONES?

Properly done the underhand shot is a simple lifting of the arms ... OVER AND OVER AND OVER in the same simple way. You've seen the videos?

Am I the only one who has tried it for a reasonable period of time {6 weeks} and declared it EASY ... NOT ROCKET SCIENCE ?

HOW COME?

It is SoCô¿ôL, the underhand free throw, but, you knew that, yes ô¿~?

"IF" you are a person who "loves" basketball enough, gets paid well enough, to play it ALMOST EVERY DAY ... "IF" you are a person who understands the wisdom of AND is capable of ACTUALLY shooting 200 free throws every practice day ... wouldn't you believe YOU could benefit from learning how to shoot, wouldn't you enjoy shooting the shot the way Rick Barry shoots it ... and PRACTICING IT ... say just 50 times a practice?

Hey .. I'm going to see how good I can become ... shooting this shot.
Can I make this sucker from the free throw line? Can I lift my doggone arms up, in a simple way, so that the ball falls just slightly over the front rim ... and GOES IN!

I don't have to flick my wrist .. I don't have to be short or tall .. I don't have to do or be anything or do much .. JUST LIFT! SWISH! LIFT! SWISH!

Hacker's UNITE and BE NICE ... Keep It Positive

ANYBODY CAN MAKE THIS SHOT ! Are you ANYBODY ?

P.S. For the first time in approximately 6 months ... I pulled the now flat basketball out of the trunk of my car and went up to an outdoor basket in Novato, CA. After about 10 warm up underhand tosses ... I estimated the free throw line and made 12 in a row. THEN ... I missed. 60 years old. Recovering from "minor" surgery. Haven't shot almost any free throws in the last 6 months ... I made 12 in a row. Why?

a) 'Cause I'm a TRULY INCREDIBLE AND REMARKABLE ATHLETE?
b) 'Cause THIS IS THE SIMPLEST ATHLETIC SKILL for which ANY ATHLETE can get points!

Northwestern's Deb Remmerde, the All-American guard from Rock Valley, Iowa, who broke all known records by hitting 133 consecutive free throws this season, will be featured on CBS’ The Early Show on Monday, Feb. 13. The show, which airs from 6 to 8 a.m. (CST), will interview Remmerde live from the Bultman Center and have her attempt to break her free-throw record.